Frame attachment for supporting workers in planting



Nov. 10. 1953 w. J. MELVIN, JR 2,658,768

FRAME ATTACHMENT FOR SUPPORTING WORKERS IN PLANTING Original Filed Sept.12, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. J. MELVIN, VJR

FRAME ATTACHMENT FOR SUPPORTING WORKERS IN PLANTING Nov. 10, 1953Original Filed Sept. 12, 1946 w. J. MELVIN, JR 8,768

Nov. 10, 1953 FRAME ATTACHMENT FOR SUPPORTING WORKERS IN PLANTING 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept. 12, 1 946 Patented Nov. 10, 1953FRAMEATTACHMENT EOR- SUIBPQRITING WORKERS IN PLANTING William J. Melvin,J in, 'larheel, N. 0.

Original arnlicati'on September 1.2, 19.46,. Serial. No. 696,481, newPatent No. 2,506,480, dated May 2,1950. Divided and this application.April 6, .1950, S'ei'ialNo. 154,257

2 Claims. (01. 28032.5)

This invention relates, in general, to an im proved planting apparatusand deals, more particularly, with improvements in a planting machineadapted to be attached to standard tractors andsimilar farming vehiclesfor use in the transplanting of young plants such as tobacco plants, andthe like. The present application is a division of application SerialNumber 696,481, filed September 12, 1946 and issued as U. S. PatentNumber 2,506,430 on May 2, 1950.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a plantingaccessorydesigned for operation with practically any form of tractor already inuse as a machine for settting and watering young plants in a procedure,which comprises, in general, the opening of a furrow for receiving a rowof plants, supplying a quantity of water at spaced locations in thefurrow where the plants are set, and filling in the furrow and pressingthe earth about the newly placed plants.

Another object of the invention is to provide a planting attachment ofthis character embodying an improved and simplified construction forsupplying water automatically in the furrow at predetermined spacedlocations where the plants are deposited, and further, with readyprovision for easily changing the spacing of such locations where thewater is supplied to the furrow as may be necessary or desirable inaccordance with the size and type of plants to be set.

A further object of the invention isto provide a planting attachment ofthe type described which is strong and durable, easily operated and ofrelatively simple construction that may be manufactured at comparativelylow cost.

Further objects and advantages and other new and useful features in theconstruction, arrangement and general combination of parts of theinvention will be readily apparent as the following description proceedswith reference to the accompanying drawings, for purposes ofillustration but not of limitation, which like reference charactersdesignate like parts throughout the same, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, partly in, section, showing theimproved; planting attachment of theinvention in operative connectionwith the rear of the chassis of a tractor or similar farming vehicleFig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved planting attachment;

Fig. 3 is a close-up, side elevational view of the furrow opener andvalve and actuating "mechanism for supplying water automatically to thefurrow at spaced locations;

Fig; 4 is a fragmentary top plan viewof Fig. 3 illustrating theconstruction providing for adjustmentor change of the setting of thewater supplying mechanism; and,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 4, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 areside and plan views, respectively, of the improved planting machinedesigned for operation with a standard tractor which is shown in part inthe drawings, for purposes of illustration, as comprisingthe reartractor wheels I, wheel hub housings 4 provided with peripheral flanges'5, a drive gear accessory 6., and side frame members I carrying atransverse tow bar 8'. A pair of main bars ill, I I extend generallylongitudinally of the machine to define a central beam serving as thesupporting means for the operating mechanism of the invention. Theforward ends of said bars til, I I, are bent outwardly to define a yokecomprising arms l3, M, connected to a cross bar 15 in any suitablemanner. A relatively simple connection is shown provided by pairs ofthreaded studs. l6 welded to the edges at the end of each bar l0, H, inprojecting relation thereto 'to receive the cross bar 15. Clampingplates l1 secured by nuts l8 threaded on the studs I6 hold the cross bar15 connected to the bars, H), II, and capable of slight pivotal movementas may be necessary or desirable.

The ends of the cross bar 15 are welded, bolted or otherwise securedbetween the ends of vertical brackets comprising angle bars 20, whichare so arranged that the angular sides of the bars fit over the forwardcorners of the flanges 5 around the hub housings 4 of each of the rearwheels I of a standard tractor. Such housing flanges 5 are conventionalon all modern tractors and are provided with threaded openings forreceiving bolts to detachably connect cultivators and vari- 01.1 otherfarming equipment to be drawn by the tractor, as desired. Accordingly,it is a simple matter to attach the vertical brackets 2i! to the housingflanges 5 by bolts 26 and such connection is firm and rigid by reason ofthe abutting en gagement of the sides of the angle bars with theadjacent corners of the housing flanges 5, as aforesaid.

As best seen in Fig. 1, longitudinal side rails 30 are bolted as at 3|or otherwise secured to the lower ends of the vertical brackets 20 ingenerally parallel relation to the beam bars H], II, and these railscarry seats 32 on either side of the "machine for one or two workers whoset the plants into a. furrow as the machine is drawn by the tractor.These seats may be of any desired type designed to be mounted upon therear free ends of the side rails 30 in any suitable way. In the presentillustration, the seats 32 are of a simple construction provided by asheet of metal bent to form a back rest 33, a base 34 welded orotherwise secured to the rails 30, and leg rests 35 defined bybifurcated extensions straddling a side rail 30 and secured thereto.These side rails carrying the seats 32 are also supported in generallyparallel and spaced relation to the ground by rear vertical bracketscomprising angle bars 31 which are bolted as at 38, Fig. 2, or otherwisesecured to said side rails 30 and attached to the rear of the housingflanges by one or more bolts 39.

The rearward ends of the beam bars I0, I I, are bent intermediately inoutward relation to each other to define a generally V-shaped forkcomprising arms 40, 4|. The arms of the fork are twisted to provide endportions 42, 43, in outwardly diverging relation and these end portionshave suitable openings to receive spindles 44, 45, for rotatablymounting a pair of cooperating packing rollers 46, ii, in outwardlyinclined relation. These rollers support the beam bars I0, I I, abovethe ground and are disposed in outwardly inclined relation in order tomove the earth from a furrow back into the furrow in the most effectivemanner in completing the planting operation. The bars I0, I I, otherwiseare united by spaced bolts 50, 5|, 52 and 53 to provide a strong,unitary central beam and these bolts have additional functions, aspresently to be described.

The bolt 50 secures in the space between the bars I0, II, the forwardend of an elongated plate-like member 60, which comprises a pair ofdiverging blades 6|, 62, Fig. 2, defining a plow shoe for opening afurrow. Such a furrow opener is provided in a relatively simpleconstruction by an outwardly bent end portion on the plate 60 definingblade 6|, while a similar blade 62 is joined thereto by welding as at63, Figs. 1 and 3, or by any other suitable means. A post 65 securedbetween the bars I0, II, by bolt 52 and connected to the furrow openeras by one or more bolts 66, Figs. 1 and 3, supports the same inoperative position.

Between the bolts 53, 5 i, Figs. 2 and 4, a generally U-shaped shaftsupport iii is mounted in adjustable relation longitudinally of the beambars Iii, I i. As seen in Fig. 5, the U-shaped shaft support itcomprises a pair of legs H, '52, provided with aligned openings 73, isproviding spaced bearings for a transverse shaft '55. Said legs H, i2straddle the bar H with the inner leg "I2 received in the space betweenthe beam bars I0, II, and clamped by the bolts 56, 51 in any selectedposition of adjustment longitudinally of said bars.

A rotatable trip wheel 35 is keyed to the adjacent end of the shaft 15and is provided with projecting trip pins BI having an equal spacing onsaid wheel around the axis thereof. A changeable sprocket or gear wheel35 is removably attached to the opposite end of said shaft and isconnected by a sprocket chain 86 to the drive gear 6 extending from thewheel hub housing 4 of the tractor. The drive gear 5 is conventionalequipment provided on the inner side of the wheel hub housing 4 of atractor as a driving means for various types of farming equipment whichmay be used with thetractor. It is, therefore, a relatively simplematter to connect the sprocket chain 86 to the drive gear 6 for drivingthe 4 sprocket wheel which in turn rotates the shaft '15 and trip wheel80 mounted thereon. Although not shown, any appropriate conventionalchain tightener may be employed to take up slack in chain 86 as a resultof slight pivotal movement of the beam bars It, II.

A water valve comprising a cylinder or casing 90 is mounted in the bightof the V-shaped fork defined by the outwardly bent arm portions 46, M ofthe beam bars Iii, IE. The valve, Fig. 3, includes a water outlet port9i and an inlet port 92. A ball valve 9t on an axially reciprocable rodnormally closes the outlet port 9! under influence of a contractile coilspring 95 telescoped over the rod 95 and bearing against the cap of thecylinder to exert a constant pressure on the ball valve 94 to hold thesame in closed relation to said outlet port a I. The reciprocable valverod 95 is slidably mounted through the water-tight top of the valvecasing 38 and the outer free end thereof is hinged by a pintle 91 to acrank lever 98. The valve cylinder thus provided may be secured inmounted position on the beam bars It, ii, in any suitable way, and inthe present example, a simple construction is shown comprising anintegral apertured ear or projection 9-3 provided on the casing 38 inposition to fit between the central bars it], I I and be secured by bolt53 to hold said valve casing til in mounted position.

The lever 98 is pivotally mounted at Hi0 on the same post 55 which issecured by bolts 52 to the bars It, i I and which supports the furrowopener 623 at the lower end thereof by the bolts 65. The lever 98 may beof any suitable design and preferably is twisted to define a fiat,slightly arcuate cam finger portion 39 on its free end which extendsinto the path of the trip pins 8i on the rotating wheel 8i! so as to beengaged by said pins in succession to actuate the water valveperiodically.

Water to the valve casing 9! is supplied through the inlet port 92 by ahose m5 connected to a tank it carried by a shelf It? mounted on thetractor frame members i in any suitable way. A relatively simplearrangement of this character is shown in Fig. 1 wherein the shelf It?rests on the tow bar 3 and is bolted at M3 to the flanges 5 on the wheelhub housings Q. If desired, the tank we may be mounted on supportscarried by the beam bars iii, I I, and/ or side rails 36.

Accordingly, as the trip wheel iii! rotates, the pins BI each in turn isadapted to engage the cam finger 99 and thereby actuate the lever 98 fora short period during which the lever is caused to move about its pivotits to the position represented in dotted lines, and in so doing, liftsthe valve'rod 95, which compresses the coil spring 96, and raises theball valve 3 from the outlet port SI to permit a quantity of water toflow into the furrow. As a trip pin 8i moves out of engagement with thelever 98, the lever, which is connected to the valve rod 85 by pintle91, is caused to return to initial position under force of the coilspring 96 on said valve rod 95 and this movement also causes the ballvalve 94 to return to the normal position thereof closing the outletport 9|. The lever 98 is thereby returned automatically to its initialposition in which the cam finger 99 thereon is disposed in the path ofthe next succeeding trip pin BI. As each trip pin 8i in turn moves intoand out of engagement with the lever 98, a similar action takes place toopen the valve and permit a fiow of water into the fur row atpredetermined spaced locations.

In operation, it will be understood that with the planting machineattached to a tractor in the manner described, one or two workers whoplace the plants in the furrow are seated in the seats 32. As theplanting machine is drawn by the tractor, a furrow is opened by the plowshoe 60 and the earth spread apart by the diverging blades 6!, 62thereof. The drive gear 6 actuates the sprocket chain 86 to drive gear85 which rotates the shaft 75 and the trip wheel 80 carried thereby. Asthe trip wheel 86 rotates, the trip pins 8| thereon successively engagethe cam finger 99 on the lever 88 to move the same as represented by thedotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3, thus actuating the water valve 90 topermit a quantity of water to flow into the furrow at predeterminedspaced locations. At each location where water is supplied, a plant isset by a worker, or by one of two workers setting plants alternately.The workers sit within easy reaching distance of the location where thewater flows into the furrow from the valve 98, and, of course, when theplants are individually set by hand in this manner, they are necessarilyplanted properly and at correct depth and alignment in the furrow in themost effective manner. After the plants are set, the packing rollers 46,41 come into position to move the earth back into the furrow andcompress the earth around the newly placed plants.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision for readychange of the spacing of the locations in which water is supplied to thefurrow. The type and size of the plants, of course, determine therequired spacing thereof and accordingly, the machine is designed to beadjusted to supply water at locations having a greater spacing forlarger plants, or less spacing for smaller plants. This is readilyaccomplished simply by substituting for the changeable sprocket wheel orgear 85, a smaller gear when the space between plants is to be reduced,or a larger gear when the spacing is to be increased. A larger gear 85reduces the speed of rotation of the trip wheel 80 to cause a lessfrequent operation of the water valve thereby providing an increasedspacing between locations where water is supplied to the furrow.Conversely, a smaller gear 85 effects a more rapid rotation of the tripwheel 80 to cause the water valve to be actuated at more frequentintervals and thereby reducing the spacing between locations where wateris supplied into the furrow. In the substitution of gears for thispurpose, any necessary slack or take-up in the sprocket chain 86 isreadily compensated for through changing the position of the shaft byadjusting the shaft support 10 as necessary. This is accomplished simplyby loosening the bolts 50, 5|, adjusting the shaft support 10longitudinally of the beam bars I0, -I I, as necessary for the sprocketchain 86 to fit properly over the sprocket wheel 85 and drive gear 6,

and then tightening said bolts 50, 5| to clamp tail with a specificexample such example is intended as an illustration only, since it willbe apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications in theconstruction, arrangement and general combination of parts may bedevised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, with all changes falling within the scope, meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. Apparatus provided as an attachment for a vehicle comprising alongitudinal side rail at each side of the apparatus, a continuous crossbar connected between the forward portions of said side rails andmaintaining the same in spaced relation, spaced vertical bars connectedat their lower ends to the forward portion of each of said side rails atspaced points, the upper ends of said spaced vertical bars being adaptedto be attached directly to the vehicle at spaced points to fixedlysupport said forward portions of said side rails as cantilevers with therearward portions thereof extending free and spaced above the ground forcarrying a worker, a beam comprising a pair of spaced bars extendinglongitudinally of the apparatus between said side rails and pivotallyconnected at its forward end portion to said cross bar, wheels securedto the rearward ends of said beam bars for supporting said beam abovethe ground in cooperation with said cross bar, said beam being pivotallyconnected at its forward end portion so that it may move upwardly ordownwardly independently of said fixedly supported side rails.

2. Apparatus adapted to be drawn by a vehicle comprising a rail and aseat on said rail comprising a seat portion supported on said rail inline therewith, said seat having spaced forward extensions and beingsecured to said rail with said rail extending through the space betweensaid spaced forward extensions, said forward extensions being inclineddownwardly and extending along the opposite sides of said rail in theform of longitudinal surfaces defining leg rests for an operator seatedon said seat.

WILLIAM J. MELVIN, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 423,723 Bemis Mar. 18, 1890 423,724 Bemis Mar. 18, 1890520,478 Bemis May 29, 1894 716,735 Mitchell et al. Dec. 23, 19021,267,713 Thompson May 28, 1918 1,694,252 Doepke Dec. 4, 1928 1,886,457Winkley Nov. 8, 1932 1,888,143 Poll Nov. 15, 1932

